


Dancing With Our Hands Tied

by thelastjedi



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Starts before TFA!, nurse reader
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:14:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22089220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thelastjedi/pseuds/thelastjedi
Summary: When you first joined The Resistance, you came into contact with several things: brand new equipment to mess around with, your very own work station, and even General Organa herself. But somehow, a charismatic pilot turns out to be the best of them all.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Reader
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	Dancing With Our Hands Tied

“ **THERE** he is!”

A round of raucous cheers and applause erupted around the cantina, the sound bouncing off the surrounding walls, as Poe Dameron, freshly promoted to the role of Commander, entered the room. He rolled his eyes good-naturedly, holding out his hands bashfully as a sign for his friends to stop, though the grin on his face remained.

“Have a busy night, _Commander_?” Temmin “Snap” Wexley joked as Poe joined the small group at their table.

“Yeah, we saw you leave with that cute technician last night,” Jessika Pava took a sip of her Batuu Brew with a quirk of her brow. “You guys have your own little celebration?”

Yolo Ziff snorted into his glass, Snap teasingly knocking his shoulder into Poe’s.

“You’re all hilarious, really,” said Poe, unaffected.

“C’mon, Poe,” Jessika continued. “We’re all on the edge of our seats here.”

“Nothing happened,” Poe shrugged, eyes rolling at how the group’s excitement visibly faded.

“Oh,” Karé Kun pouted. “Well, that was disappointing.”

“Why are you all so interested anyway?” Poe swiped Snap’s drink from his hand, ignoring the pilot’s disgruntled _‘hey!_ ’ and took a sip himself. He grimaced as the liquid burned down his throat. “She wasn’t exactly sober so I helped her to her quarters and left. Plus, she wasn’t really my type.”

“What? Hot and single isn’t your type?”

“Hm, let’s see,” Ziff began. “You also said that about that guy back on Tiisheraan, that handsy Twi’lek on Bespin, the—”

“We’re rooting for you, that’s all,” Karé told him, effectively shutting down Ziff’s tangent. “Even a hotshot Commander deserves a little love every now and then.”

“I don’t have time for romance, guys,” argued Poe, jaw set. He was no stranger to flirting — enjoyed it more than the average person, actually — but with the growing threat of the First Order on the horizon, he found no point in going further and growing attached to someone. “I’ve gotta focus on my work, on helping the galaxy. We all do.”

“We’re not saying you have to _marry_ someone, Poe,” said Jessika. “But going out on a date wouldn’t hurt, right? Plus, I don’t remember you ever being so adverse to one-night stands.”

Poe continued to down his drink instead of answering, resulting in a disapproving gaze from every member that sat around the small table.

“I’m telling you, Dameron,” Snap added, matter-of-factly. “One day, you’re gonna meet someone that sweeps you off those damn stubborn feet of yours and you won’t know what hit you.”

“Uh-huh,” Poe agreed, a feeble attempt to end the conversation rather than genuine agreement. “That’ll be the day.”

“Well,” Jessika began to stand from the table with her drink in hand, eyes set on the figure of Kaydel Ko Connix sitting at the bar. “Just because you’ve sworn off cute girls, doesn’t mean I have.”

Watching Jess walk away, Snap wolf-whistled loudly in support, earning a swift kick to the leg from Karé that made the table howl with laughter. More drinks were later shared and the conversation quickly shifted, much to Poe’s relief.

* * *

It’s safe to say that you were pretty damn nervous.

Your heart was racing, your palms were sweaty and you felt like you might lose the breakfast you had eaten that morning at any given second. _Kriff_ , you prayed you wouldn't. Throwing up all over your first patient’s shoes probably wasn’t the best way to make an impression.

“Hey, calm down,” said the figure next to you, a comforting hand resting on your arm as if she could sense the anxiety rolling off of you in waves. “There’s nothing to be nervous about.”

“I know,” you nodded, adjusting your dark tunic for the fifth time since you’d put it on. The white medical services armband stood out against the brown material of your uniform. “Just first day jitters, I guess.”

“Because graduating top of our class wasn’t enough to fill you with confidence?” the same girl, Zella, asked jokingly. The two of you had been close since the Academy; you had lived in the same quarters and studied for every class together. You were more than thrilled when she agreed to join the Resistance with you. Having someone you were already close to nearby helped put you at ease.

“Yeah, pretty much,” you nodded, teeth chewing on the skin of your bottom lip; a nervous habit.

Zella’s retort didn’t get the chance to leave her lips, the words dying on her tongue as two figures entered the room— Hermit Farwell AKA the head of the medical station AKA your new boss.

And General Leia Organa… AKA your boss’s boss and overall galactic legend.

The General's hair was wrapped up in a neat crown braid and under the dim lights, the younger girl could see the shines of grey showing through her usual brown colour, a sign of how long she had been fighting for freedom in the galaxy. She wore a brown vest over her light green coveralls that were tucked into a pair of brown boots, and her face was attentive as she took in the new faces in the room. Despite being the leader of the entire organisation, you noticed that while others had their own badge indicating their commanding roles in the whole affair, her rank wasn't shown anywhere. 

"Good morning," the woman smiled and though it was directed at everyone, you felt strangely as though she was speaking directly to you. "I thought I'd stop by to wish our new recruits good luck— not that you'll need it. You're in the perfectly capable hands of Colonel Farwell and you wouldn't be here if you didn't have the ability to handle yourselves. If anyone has any trouble or worries, feel free to find me later. But for now… Enjoy your first shift. The Resistance is very lucky to have you.”

She took her leave shortly after and Colonel Farwell clapped his hands together to gain the attention of the room which had started to buzz with excited chatter.

“You heard the General,” he said. “Grab yourself a datapad and let’s get to work.”

The station jumped into action immediately, pressing their keycards to the screens of their datapads and waiting for their patient files to load. You searched through your own itinerary for the day and steeled yourself with a slow breath.

Your first day as a nurse was about to begin.

* * *

Poe’s head was pounding.

A couple of days had passed since his little visit to the base’s cantina but he swore he was still feeling the effects of downing one more ice-twist than he likely should have; something that he was currently cursing Snap for coaxing him into. After complaining to BB-8 about the pain _yet again_ , the droid had argued with him back and forth until he finally agreed to visit the med station for some form of relief. The smug astromech currently sat at his feet as he waited to be called in, as if to make sure the pilot followed through on his promise.

Others sat scattered around the waiting area (which was essentially just a few rows of chairs pushed together), each finding their own ways to pass the time. A technician was speaking on his holopad, supposedly unable to stop working even when awaiting medical attention, while a strategist sat with her hand on her stomach, clearly in an uncomfortable amount of pain. Poe himself found his fingers drumming against his knee, voice humming a tune under his breath that he couldn't remember the name of.

"Dameron, Poe?"

Poe continued his melody, about to go into the second verse when BB-8 knocked into his leg to catch his attention and an unfamiliar voice rang out.

"Dameron, Poe!" the voice called again, frustration beginning to seep through.

Poe lifted his head and searched for the source, a charming grin lighting up his face at the sight of you, your eyes squinting as you searched the room for the man who must have been deaf not to hear you. He had been right about you being unfamiliar, he noted as he all but swaggered over to you, lifting a hand into a wave. You said nothing in return, gesturing for him to follow you into your private work area. Poe's eyes scanned your form quickly from top to bottom.

“Take a seat, Commander,” you said, ensuring you used the proper title you had gotten from his patient files. ' _Commander Poe Dameron, top pilot of the Resistance,_ _peak physical condition'_ were just a few phrases you remembered.

“Nurse,” Poe grinned, confidence and charm practically exuding from his every pore.

You fought back the urge to roll your eyes, having spent the whole morning dealing with quite a few patients just like him. While some had been kind and quiet, even nervous, others had piled on the compliments until you were ready to push them back out the door. That, coupled with the growing ache in your back from standing so long, had you on the verge of collapsing from tiredness.

“That’s what they call me,” you agreed with a professional tone. “What brings you here today?”

“You mean I needed a reason other than meeting you?” Poe’s eyes lit up with mischief and your skin prickled with irritation. BB-8, who had stuck by his side the whole time, beeped loudly. 

“Ah,” you nodded, typing the information into your notes. “So you’ve been doing a little drinking, huh?”

“In my defense, I was celebrating… But I will admit that yes, my head feels like it might explode,” Poe confessed, casting an offended look in his droid’s direction before turning back to you and scratching the back of his neck. His confidence clearly knocked down a peg (by his own best friend, no less), he let out a humble chuckle. “So you speak Binary, huh?”

“That I do. What’s your name, little guy?” you smiled kindly in BB-8’s direction (Poe was only _slightly_ bitter that BB-8 had gotten a smile from you before he had), listening to his reply. “Well, Beebee-Ate, I think my own little Cipher would _love_ you.”

“Cipher?” Poe repeated.

“My droid,” you explained, your hands moving to wrap the blood pressure cuff around his arm and jotting down his results afterwards. “He’s back in my quarters. Figured if he were here on my first day, I’d spend the whole time worrying about him instead of doing my actual job.”

Poe smiled, knowing the feeling of being attached to a droid all too well. “You’re new here, right?”

“I am.”

Poe studied your face as you put the tips of your stethoscope in your ears and pressed the bell against his chest. A small crease formed between your brows, entirely focused as you listened to the steady thump of his heart. Once you were satisfied, you turned back to your datapad. “Yeah, I’d definitely remember someone like you.”

You huffed out a breath, heat creeping up your neck and into your cheeks at his words. Luckily, your back was still facing towards him, face hidden, and you intentionally took longer in busying yourself with his typing up his results.

Even back at the Academy, you had made yourself a promise: no fraternising allowed. You weren’t against the idea of love by any means, but you were well aware of the ominous, growing threat that was gathering out there in the galaxy. You were well aware that war — and _casualties_ because of said war — were inevitable. Hell, it was entirely possible that some of the people you had examined today wouldn’t survive what was coming, and you weren’t about to put your heart on the line just for it to be torn in two. Not when you had the chance to prevent that from happening.

The room fell silent then and Poe allowed it to, being a model patient as you shone a light in his eyes to check his pupils contraction and muttered your final decision to yourself under your breath. He watched as you turned to search through one of the cabinets behind you, eventually finding the bottle you were looking for and quickly reading the label.

“It’s my first day,” you finally said, Poe blinking in surprise at your return to the conversation. “Hold out your hand.”

Poe did so without question and watched as you set two pills in his palm. Filling a glass with water, you held it out for him to take in the other.

“Swallow those now and take two more later tonight if it still hurts. Like your chart says, you really are in peak physical condition,” you waited for him to follow your instructions before passing him the small bottle of remaining pills, pointedly ignoring the smirk on his lips at your comment. “Your hangover should pass soon.”

“Well, thank you for your thorough work…” Poe trailed off and you knew what he was indicating.

“Nurse is fine,” you told him simply.

“Come on, I make it a habit to learn everyone’s name here,” Poe told you, almost pleadingly and he wasn't lying. He really did know the name of _every single person_ in the base, no matter their rank or job. For his own squadron, he had memorised their birthdays, too, and ensured they always received something special when the day came, be it something simple like a small cake or something a little grander, like an upgrade to their ship. “The cleaners, the line cooks, whoever.”

“That’s… very nice of you,” you said genuinely, meeting his eyes over your datapad. He really was quite handsome and clearly, he was aware of it. A square chin with a jawline you were pretty sure could chisel fiberplast, soft chocolate brown eyes that had a warmth to them that reminded you of a fire crackling, full lips with the bottom looking just a little bigger than the top and a tall build that you noticed made him appear confident even when seemingly at ease. It was a shame, really. If you had met him in some other way, at some other time, you probably would’ve fallen for his charm already.

But unfortunately, you hadn’t.

“If you need any more help, feel free to visit again.” Clearing your throat and reluctantly breaking the eye contact, you held out your free hand which he took firmly, giving it a shake. “And congratulations on your promotion.”

“Thank you. It was a pleasure to meet you… _Nurse_ ,” Poe told you, releasing your hand and turning to leave as BB-8 beeped his goodbyes. Before he had fully stepped out the door, he turned back, the right side of his mouth quirking into the beginnings of a smirk. “I hope we see each other again soon.”

Your gaze softened, brows furrowed together as you gestured around the room which held various medical supplies. “For your sake, I hope we don’t.”

A warm laugh escaped his throat but he said nothing more. And with a wink, he left.

**Author's Note:**

> gestures vaguely. SO... here's this? IUHSDF this starts off before TFA and should (hopefully) include each movie as we get to it


End file.
